The Human Rights Center “Viasna”

Judge Alena Protas found Kastus Smolikau and Leanid Autukhou, both members of the Belarusian Popular Front’s Vitsebsk office, guilty of violating mass media legislation. The BPF members were charged with distributing the newsletter called “Magistrate,” more than 299 copies of which were found by the police. However, the count was conducted in a rather extraordinary way: not by copies but by “big packs” and “thick bundles” – these were the arguments mentioned in court to prove the illegal excess in the edition’s circulation.

Having served five days of arrest at the Vitsebsk detention center for spreading leaflets with invitation to Freedom Day rally, the head of the Vitsebsk regional branch of the Belarusian Popular Front Party Leanid Autukhou had to apply for medical assistance.

A member of the Conservative-Christian Party "Belarusian Popular Front" Vital Kavalenka was charged with violating the Law on Mass Events. A week ago similar charges were given to his alley Yan Dziarzhautsau.

The May Day rally in Brest was permitted by the authorities for the first time since 2002. On the eve of the event the representatives of the democratic forces who organized the event concluded service agreements with the police, medics and public utilities, which is required for the authorization of mass events.

“The investigation into the facts of gross disrespect to the participants of the trial by Judge of the Court of Kastrychnitski District of Vitsebsk I.V. Hrabouskaya failed to find grounds for initiating disciplinary proceedings against her,” says an official letter from the first deputy head of the Justice Department of Vitsebsk regional executive committee Ihar Karzhou in response to a statement sent to said department by the head of Vitsebsk regional office of the Belarusian Popular Front Party Leanid Autukhou.

Vitsebsk police detained today activists of the Belarusian Popular Front Party Leanid Autukhou and Kastus Smolikau while distributing leaflets with an invitation to come to the rally on March 25.

Having considered the materials of a check-up concerning the infliction of bodily injuries to an activist of the Belarusian Popular Front Party Aliaksei Hudzilin, the prosecutor of the Pershamaiski District Court of Vitsebsk, senior justice advisor Yury Ramanouski decided to bring a criminal case under Article 153.

The statement submitted by local office of the Belarusian Popular Front deals with the scheduled construction of the so-called Palace of Ceremonies. The decision to build it in the historical center is deemed as illegal by the BPF activists. And they see it as a violation of the rights of citizens, since such projects are not submitted for public discussion, and made “behind the scenes and in a manner far from being transparent.”